Preparing fine particles of oxid of iron for use in furnaces.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

UTLEY VEDGE, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PREPARING FINE PARTICLES OF OXID OF IRON FOR USE IN FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed January 30, 1905. Serial No. 243,417.

f 0 (Ll/T whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, UTLEY WEDGE, a citi zen of the United States, residing in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Preparing Fine Particles of Oxid of Iron for Use in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prepare for use in blast or open-hearth furnaces relatively fine particles of oxid of iron, such as the red hematite ores, and the cinder resulting from the desulfurization of iron pyrites in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. These relatively fine particles of oxid of iron are not available for use in blast-furnaces, first, because of their tendency to pack and render the furnace-charge too dense for the passage of the blast therethrough, and, secondly, because when a high-pressure blast is used they are liable to be carried off thereby and deposited in the flues of the furnace. the oxid is intended for use in an open-hearth furnace, whether acid or basic, it is important that it should not be combined with any material which would retard or otherwise interfere with the intended action of said furnace. I have found that such finely-divided iron oxids can be rendered available either for use in blastfurnaces or open-hearth furnaces by combining them with sulfate of iron and subjecting the mixture to a temperature high enough to insure the driving 01f of the sulfur in the sulfate or which may be combined with the oxid, the result being an agglomeration of the iron-oxid particles and the sulfate of iron and the forming of hard lumps of such size that the resultant product resembles gravel, in which form it is readily available for use in the furnace.

The temperature may be as low as twelve hundred (1,200") degrees or thirteen hundred (1,300") degrees Fahrenheit or as much higher as desired below the melting-point of the oxid, and by preference the mixture during the time it is being heated is subjected to agitation, the most convenient method of accomplishing such agitation being to feed the mixture through a rotating cylindrical kiln of suitable length whose axis is slightly inclined in respect to the horizontal, the kiln being heated either externally or internally,

or both.

The fine particles of oxid may be mixed with the sulfate of iron before being introduced into the kiln, and for this purpose I prefer to use the sulfate in plastic form, or

When

said particles may simply be moistened with sulfuric acid, which under the heat of the kiln will byits action upon the oxid during the earlier portion of the passage of the latter through the kiln produce a sulfate of iron, which will act as a binder for the oxid during the remaining portion of its passage.

By reason of the driving ofi of the sulfur compounds from the mixture the resultant product will not contain any foreign matter to interfere with the proper operation of the blast-furnace or other furnace in which the oxid is subsequently used, and by the use of a sufficiently-high temperature the product may be made so hard as to effectually withstand the rough handling to which it is likely to be subjected.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The mode herein described of agglomerating fine particles of iron oxid for use in furnaces, said mode consisting in combining said particles with sulfate of iron and sub- 3. The mode herein described of agglorncrating fine particles of iron oxid for use in furnaces, said mode consisting in combining said particles with sulfate of iron and subjecting the mixture to agitation and to heat sufficient to drive off the sulfur, substantially as specified.

4. The mode herein described of agglomcrating fine particles of iron oxid for use in furnaces, said mode consisting in combining said particles with sulfate of iron in plastic form and subjecting the mixture to agitation and to heat sufiicient to drive off the sulfur, substantially as specified.

5. The mode herein described of preparing fine particles of iron oxid for use in furnaces, said mode consisting in moistening said particles with sulfuric acid, subjecting them to the action of said acid and of heat until sulfate of iron is formed, and then subjecting them to heat sufficient to drive off the sulfur, substantially as specified.

6. The mode herein described of preparing line particles of iron oxid for use in furnaces, said mode consisting in inoistening SELICl par ticles with sulfuric acid, Sub ecting them to In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification 1n the presence of IO tWo subscribing WItDCSSGS fate of iron is formed, and then subjecting thecompound to agitation and to heat suflicient to drive off the sulfur, substantially as specified.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C NoRRIs, Jr, HARRY SMITH.

l l the action of said acid and of heat until sull UTLEY WEDGE 

